Titanic Heaven
by CatalynMJ88
Summary: Everyone who sailed on Titanic in life arrives in the afterlife via her beautiful Grand Staircase. But then what happens?
1. Greeting Lucy Barnes

**Credits: **This fanfiction is co-authored by two tumblr friends and me. Author credits go to citiesofsong and lovelurpak on tumblr. Credit for the idea that sparked it all goes to citiesofsong. Thank you, ladies! :-)

**Disclaimer:** The usual. We don't own Cameron's _Titanic_ or anything or anyone in it, etc., etc.

**I. Greeting Lucy Barnes**

One moment, the boat deck and A-deck levels of _Titanic_'s Grand Staircase, bathed in the ethereal glow of yet another perfect day, contain just a few passengers chatting and strolling about. In the next moment, over 1,500 people fill the first-class entryway. They are not at all perturbed to so suddenly find themselves here; in fact, they're getting used to it.

Captain Smith is in his customary place on the boat deck level, looking out over the gilded oak and wrought iron railing, down at Honour and Glory Crowning Time. The clock reads 2:20. Usually there's someone standing in the landing before the clock as soon as they all arrive, but there are times, like this one, when no one appears. The Captain pulls out a roster, (even he is not quite sure where it comes from,) and reads off the next name: "Miss Lucy Barnes of Surrey, England."

An awkward silence. Thomas Andrews stands on A-deck, near the French doors to the promenade, his brow furrowed in concentration. _Lucy Barnes… Ah, yes, I know her. White Star employee, assigned to tidy the rooms on A-deck during the maiden voyage. Sweet girl. _He remembers some sort of crisis on board where he cupped her cheek and told her to "set a good example" for the worried passengers, but the memory is opaque.

"Who are we stood around for this time?" mutters a saloon steward to some of his mates.

"I think it's a maid… Does anyone remember her much?"

The steward shrugs. "No. But she made me a cup of tea once. Let's give her a cheer. It was a damn good cup of tea."

The Captain calls out again, "Miss Lucy Barnes, 24 years of age, newly hired by White Star for the maiden voyage. Any close friends of Miss Barnes are welcome to step forward."

No one comes forward. Mr. Andrews winces slightly. Perhaps he should go up to the landing himself, just so there's _someone _for her?

Just then, there's a knock on the French doors. It's not Lucy, but an elderly woman whom no one recognizes from the voyage. Mr. Andrews politely excuses himself to speak to her.

"I'm here to see Lucy; is she here yet?" she asks earnestly.

"No…" Mr. Andrews is thoughtful. This woman resembles Lucy, at least from what he can remember of the young maid. And by her accent, it sounds like she's from Surrey… "Might I ask your name, madam?"

"Cornelia Barnes. I'm Lucy's mum."

Mr. Andrews sighs with relief. Technically, they're not supposed to let in anyone else for these events, besides the guest of honor. Captain Smith set that rule after several people dissolved into tears over seeing people in the crowd who "weren't on the ship before." (No one quite knows 'before _what_,' exactly…) Also, there was that embarrassing- albeit hilarious- incident where a steward's wife asked to be let in to greet him… Then his Southampton mistress showed up… followed by his New York mistress…

But in this circumstance, it seems the right thing to do. "Right this way, madam." Mr. Andrews leads her up to the landing. Captain Smith nods in approval at his ship's builder.

A moment later, there is an especially intense, beautiful glimmer of sunlight through the French doors. A young blonde appears out of the light, wearing a maid's uniform, her eyes wide with shock. She walks in slowly, almost floating past passengers and crew as they smile and applaud. In joyful tears, mother and daughter embrace after many years, perhaps decades, apart.

Then they, along with most of the crowd, disappear.


	2. Those Who Stay, Those Who Leave

**Credits:** This fanfiction is co-authored by two tumblr friends and me. Author credits also go to citiesofsong and lovelurpak on tumblr. Credit for the idea that sparked it all goes to citiesofsong. Thank you, ladies! :-)

**Disclaimer:** The usual. We don't own Cameron's _Titanic, _or anything or anyone in it, etc., etc.

**II. Those Who Stay, Those Who Leave**

Captain Smith is standing on the bridge looking out into the heavens' sea; white clouds and a blue ocean-like shimmer lie ahead towards the horizon. He's joined by Murdoch, his hands together behind his back. "Take her to sea, Mr. Murdoch. Let's stretch her legs," Captain Smith announces, extending his arms and resting his hands on the rail. Murdoch's face illuminates as he is given the order, the white light above shining off of the orderly buttons on his jacket.

Mr. Andrews is sitting by his desk alone in his room, looking at his blueprints in his necktie and waistcoat. He gets up and puts on his suit jacket and hat, and makes his way to top deck through the long, rabbit-warren like corridors of the great ship, bowing his head courteously to the wondering passengers. The ship's architect strolls along, notebook in hand, with a proud smile on his face as he looks at _Titanic _in all her beauty. Her funnels tall and bold against the heavens' sky, exhaling, in a sense, large amounts of smoke that then trails behind her. All 882 feet and 9 inches of her glides through the glorious, gleaming ocean, her three engines roaring from the depths of her innards.

From the outside, the ship is the same size as she was in earthly realms. Inside, she somehow holds many, many more staterooms, and far larger dining saloons. The gymnasium and swimming baths are massive, the galleys seemingly endless. The passengers and crew are a bit nonplussed, at first…

Then they realize who will accommodate the extra space- other dearly departed loved ones who were not actually aboard the ship, but would like to stay on her awhile as their loved ones relive the happy memories. (Perhaps the first big clue was the kennels next to the captain's quarters, full of decades' worth of Captain Smith's prized bulldogs.)

They don't all stay on _Titanic, _of course; for some she is merely a gateway, and they wander from her in pursuit of their personal heaven. But they all find their way back to _Titanic _from time to time. She is home… or a chance to relive a much loved moment in their lives.

Perhaps spending the least amount of time on the ship is her owner, J. Bruce Ismay, who arrives on her promenade some years after the sinking, and immediately runs and jumps into Collapsible C all over again. Some of the crew point and laugh, eager to watch the bloke furiously paddle himself all the way to New York heaven. But Captain Smith intervenes and informs the shaky, wide-eyed Englishman that he simply has to will himself to any place in the world that he would rather be. Ismay then disappeared. They say he spends most of his time in New York heaven and Liverpool heaven, but seldom on the seas in between, and never on _Titanic._

Conversely, spending quite a lot of time on the ship is her chief designer, Thomas Andrews. Both family members of victims, and deceased survivors, often arrive eager to see the beautiful, undamaged ship in all her glory. Mr. Andrews likes to be available to give them a tour; after all, it's the only part of his work during the maiden voyage that he can still continue. The heavenly ship is too perfect for even him to make notes for improvements!

But Mr. Andrews also disembarks in Belfast heaven for long stretches of time, always returning to _Titanic _with a particularly joyful, serene glow on his face. He and his daughter Elba, in particular, have a lot of lost time to make up for. She regales her dad with stories of her life's adventures: tending wounded soldiers as a nurse during a war, working on an African safari, and even piloting a flying machine! If anyone on _Titanic _asks, he will gladly brag about his little girl, and even show off photographs of her.


	3. Sensations of the Ship

**Credits:**** This fanfiction is co-authored by two tumblr friends and me. Author credits also go to citiesofsong and lovelurpak on tumblr. Credit for the idea that sparked it all goes to citiesofsong. Thank you, ladies! :-)**

**Disclaimer:**** The usual. We don't own Cameron's Titanic****, or anything or anyone in it, etc., etc.**

**III. Sensations of the Ship**

**Officer Lowe brings Captain Smith a cup of tea on the bridge joining him and Officer Murdoch, they are later joined by Officer Lightoller. They all too don't spend all of their past-living days aboard Titanic. Harold Lowe sometimes visits his newly unveiled slate plaque honouring his heroic deeds on the Titanic in Barmouth, on the foothills of the beautiful mountains of the North West Wales coast, but always comes back to the most immaculately exquisite ship in the world. **

**Captain Smith, however, is the man who probably spends most of his time aboard the liner - he feels at home on her. The sound of the crews footsteps along the wooden floors, the sea breeze against his face, the rumble of the engines deep in the heart of Titanic. The beat of her heart beats along with his. It's his heaven.**

**To most of them, it **_didn't_** happen… they only reli****ve those happy and memorable times they experienced aboard her. **

**Mr Andrews is now walking along the deck on her stern, his hand running along the railing, his deep dark brown eyes follow; he's meticulously calculating, thinking… just thinking about his ship and the next new ships he'****s planning to design and build.**

_"Good day, Sir,"_******he hears a cheery voice in his right ear, he is torn away from his personal other world full of designs, calculations and visions. The Strausses stand in the sea breeze behind Andrews, smiling, awaiting a reply.**

_"Ah, good day to you both,"_** he tips his hat slightly, with a teeth baring smile, his Irish tone as charming as ever. The couple keep walking arm in arm nodding and talking quietly to each other, presumably about how grand and magnificent the ship is. Andrews' eyes follow them as they walk along the stern and eventually rest on the railing, close to each other, eyes on the horizon. He is so proud of his ship, it's like a child to him. He smiles and momentarily closed** **his eyes to feel, to experience the sounds, the sensations, the ship.**


End file.
